Red October = Red November

This 1977 page-per-day calendar helps illustrate how the October Revolution became the November Revolution while never shaking off its original October name. Until 1918, Russia still used the Julian Calendar, leaving them two weeks behind the rest of Europe. While the 25 October (the “Old Style” date for the revolution) entry in the 1977 calendar does make reference to the events of 1917, the chief entry for the revolution appears here on the page for 7 November (the “New Style” or Gregorian date).

The title wording in the lower band of the page, to the right of the date, announces the 60th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. Lenin is the only subject of black ink here, standing out against a sea of red, with a flag declaring that all power should go to the soviets (the administrative councils promoted by the Bolsheviks) waving behind him.

The calendar is among several objects dating from 1977 in the University Library’s Catherine Cooke collection, presumably collected by Dr Cooke herself during a visit to the Soviet Union. Produced in an enormous print run of 16.5 million, the calendar cost 40 kopecks.